A 34-year-old man has appeared in court accused of stealing from three prostitutes he booked on an escorts website.

Lithuanian national Gediminas Zigmantas made contact with the women through Escort Ireland, Det Sgt Dara O’Sullivan told Ennis District Court.

One of the robberies is alleged to have occurred at Room 214 at Treacy’s West County Hotel in Ennis on March 6 this year.

In evidence given during a bail application hearing for Mr Zigmantas, Det Sgt O’Sullivan said: “It will be alleged that contact was through the Escort Ireland website and phone contact made to meet at a certain time and Mr Zigmantas called to the hotel room and had a liaison with the female in question.”

The officer said it will be alleged that after this occurred, “the accused left the room and came back with another person into the room where they tied up the injured party with telephone charger wires, lap top wires and put a sock in her mouth and stole a lap-top, a phone and €100 in cash from the injured party".

Mr Zigmantas, of no fixed abode, faces a total of three counts of robbery with the latest alleged to have occurred at the Radisson Blu hotel at Lough Atalia in Galway on May 11.

On this date it is alleged Mr Zigmantas robbed a woman of €1,700 in cash, an iPod and perfume.

The single man, who has no previous convictions, is also accused of robbing a woman of €400 in cash at Room 313 at the Victoria Hotel at Queen’s Street, Galway on October 15 last.

The detective confirmed to court that Mr Zigmantas was arrested in Cork on Monday while he was collecting his social welfare payment.

He said that a Garda operation has been in place since the alleged offence at the West County hotel in Ennis.

Det Sgt O’Sullivan said that Gardai were objecting to bail due to the seriousness of the charges, the strength of evidence in the case and fears that Mr Zigmantas may represent a flight risk.

The detective sergeant said that the evidence in the case includes CCTV and forensic evidence.

Solicitor for Mr Zigmantas, Daragh Hassett, said the accused wouldn’t be able to leave Ireland as gardai have his travel documentation.

However, Judge Patrick Durcan refused bail and remanded Mr Zigmantas in custody to appear in court on Wednesday, June 25.